Electronic card key lock

ABSTRACT

An electronic card key lock system in which a plastic card has a plurality of contact elements thereon is inserted into a slot having a plurality of circuit contacts. These contacts cooperate with the card key to actuate an electronic lock to free a door to be opened. They also actuate an alarm circuit if the contacts of the card are incorrectly matched to the contacts of the card slot.

United States Patent 1191 Vogel, I1 Oct. 7, 1975 54] ELECTRONIC CARD KEY LOCK 3,399.473 9/1968 Jaffe 1. 340/149 A 3,604,900 9/1971 Kalt r 340/149 A inventor: Frank D- Vogel, l1, 1 St, 3,617,706 71 Ob h AX Parkersburg, W. Va.26101 3,688,269 8/1972 Miller 340 149 A Filed: Jan. 23, 1973 Appl. No.: 326,001

[52] US. Cl...... 340/149 A; 340/149 R; 340/164 R; 340/274 [51] Int. Cl. G06k 9/00 [58] Field of Search 340/149 A, 326 R, 274 C; 235/61.7 B; 70/277, 265

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,496,875 6/1924 Field 340/326 R 1,731,513 10/1929 Wagner 340/340 R Primary ExaminerHar0ld 1. Pitts Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Blair & Brown [57] ABSTRACT An electronic card key lock system in which a plastic card has a plurality of contact elements thereon is inserted into a slot having a plurality of circuit contacts. These contacts cooperate with the card key to actuate an electronic lock to free a door to be opened. They also actuate an alarm circuit if the contacts of the card are incorrectly matched to the contacts of the card slot.

1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures 5 76 7 7g m vpaf VOLTAGE B3 58 MLELECTkO/V/C 22 60 NIGHT SWITCHI- 20 CK MO roe T LIGHTSlU/TCI/ US. Patent Oct. 7,1975

Sheet 1 0f 3 FIG. 2.

U.S. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 3 of 3 3,911,398

5054 F/G.j48. 34

ELECTRONIC CARD KEY LOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic card key lock.

Summary of the Invention A plastic card carrying a plurality of contact elements in a particular relationship is inserted into a slot having a plurality of contact elements for cooperation with the contacts of the card. If the card contacts are such as to match the setting of the lock an electronic lock will be actuated. If the contacts of the card are incompatible with the lock an alarm circuit will be actuated indicating that a false card has been inserted in the lock.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an electronic card key lock which is virtually impossible to pick in the absence of the correct card.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the lock system applied to a door, viewed from the interior side of the door;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the lock system viewed from the exterior side of the door;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the electronic card used a key;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the circuit board cooperating with the key card;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuity of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view through the card slot and card;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view, taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view through the card, taken along the line 99 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view through the light switch portion of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the alarm circuit wheel used with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally an electronic card key lock system constructed in accordance with the invention.

The electronic card key system 20 is adapted to lock a door 21 by means of an electronic lock 22 cooperating with a keeper 23 on the door 21. A card slot member 24 is mounted on the door frame 25 of the door 21 to receive an electronic card 26 insertible therein.

The card 26 includes a pair of elongate spaced parallel contact strips 27 connected by a crossbar 27 and embedded in the upper surface of an insulating plastic card 26 as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The card 26 O ity of contact members 32 is positioned above the slot member 24 with the contact member 32 extending downwardly through the bores 30. The contact elements 32 are spring pressed into the slot 33 of the slot member 24 and are secured to the circuit board 31 by a plurality of nuts 34.

The circuit board 31 has a plurality of terminals 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41, arranged along one end edge thereof. A wire 42 connects the terminal 35 to the contact 32 lettered B. The terminal 36 is connected by a wire 43 to the contact 32 lettered H. The contact 37 is connected by a wire 44 to the contact 32 lettered I. The terminal 39 is connected by a wire 46 to the contact 32 lettered Y. The terminal 40 is connected by a wire 47 to the Contact 32 lettered E. The terminal 41 is connected by a wire 48 to the contact 32 lettered X. The contacts A, C, D, F, G, L, K and J are connected by a wire 49 so as to be connected in turn to the terminal 38..Note that these terminals are common to each other.

In FIG. 10 a solenoid 50 has the armature 51 thereof connected to a toggle switch 52 by means of a pivoted link 53. The toggle 52 actuates a spring contact member 54 so as to force it into engagement with a stationary contact member 55. Circuits through the contacts 54, 55 are provided to energize an alarm light 56. In FIG. 11 a contact drum generally indicated at 57 is mounted for rotation on a shaft 58. Electric brushes indicated generally at 59 and lettered B1, B2, B3 and B4 are adapted to engage the surface of the contact drum 79 so as to have circuits completed thereby. A motor 60 drives the shaft 58 to rotate the drum 57. The

brushes B1, B2 and B3 of the group of brushes 59 are arranged in side by side relation so as to engage a dif ferent track on the drum 57. The brush B4 is arranged to engage the same track as the brush B2 but is circumferentially spaced from the brush B2. The track engaged by the brush B1 is continuous and the brush B1 applies input voltage to the track on the drum 57 so that the track is continuously energized.

Referring now to the wiring diagram illustrated in FIG. 6 a magnetic switch generally indicated at 61 forms a part of the circuit and is adapted to be energized thereby. A magnetic switch 62 also forms part of the circuit and is adpated to be energized thereby as well as a magnetic switch 63. A hand operated night switch 64 forms a part of the circuit for connecting the electronic lock 22 into the circuit or disconnecting it from the circuit. An alarm bell 65 also forms a part of the circuit.

' In the use and operation of the invention the card 26 is inserted into the slot 33 with the contact strips 27 first engaging the contacts 32 X and Y completing a short circuit therebetween. This energizes the magnetic switch 61 to prevent a flow of current into the system 20. When the card 26 is fully inserted in the slot 33 the hidden circuitry in the card 26 indicated at 29 in FIGS. 3 and 6 connect the contacts 28B, 28H, 28] and 28E.

Since all of the contacts 28 are then in engagement with their respective contacts 32 of the slot 33 the contacts 328, 32H, 321 and 32E are connected. With the card 26 completely into the slot 33 the short circuit between the contacts 32 X and 32 Y is broken so as to deenergize the magnetic switch 61 permitting it to make electric contact. A wire 66 extends from the brush B2 to one side of the switch 61 and through the switch 61 by means of a wire 67 to the terminal 35. A wire 68 extends from the wire 66 to the terminal 41.

A wire 69 extends from the terminal 36 to one side of the contacts of the magnetic switch 63. A wire 70 extends from the other side of the electric contacts of the switch 63 to one side of the contacts of the magnetic switch 62. A wire 71 extends from the other side of the contacts of the magnetic switch 62 through the night switch 64 to the electronic lock 22. A wire 72 extends from the terminal 37 to the coil of the magnetic switch 63 and a wire 73 extends from the coil of the magnetic switch 63 to the coil of the magnetic switch 62. A wire 74 extends from the coil of the magnetic switch 62 to the terminal 40.

A wire 75 extends from the electric motor 60 to the terminal 38. A wire 76 extends from the contact brush B3 to the alarm bell 65. A wire 77 extends from the wire 76 to the wire 75. With the short between the contacts 32 X and 32 Y removed by complete insertion of the card 26 input voltage from the wire 78 passes into the contact surface 79 of the drum 57 and from there to the wire 66, and wire 67 to reach the terminal 35. Circuit from the terminal flows through the wire 42 into the contact 328 and from there into the hidden wires 29 in the card 26 energizing contacts 28H, 281 and 28E in turn energizing contacts 321-1, 321 and 32E.

The terminal 37 receives electricity through the wire 44 from the contact 321 and in turn is connected by the wires 72 to the magnetic coil of the magnetic switch 63. This closes the switch of the magnetic switch 63 permitting circuit to flow therethrough. A resistance 80 is connected from the wire 73 to ground 81 to complete the circuit for the magnetic switch 63. Electricity from the contact 32E passes through the wire 47 to the terminal and from there through wire 74 through the magnetic coil of the magnetic switch 62 through wire 73 through the resistance 80 and ground 81 to complete the circuit through the magnetic coil of the magnetic switch 62 and to thus close the switch contacts thereof to complete the circuit. With the magnetic switch 62 and the magnetic switch 63 both closed electricity then flows from the contact 32H through wire 43 to the terminal 36 and through wire 69 through the contacts of the magnetic switch 63 through wire 70 and through the contacts of the magnetic switch 62 and then through wire 7], switch 64 to the electronic lock 22 which is then actuated to unlock the door 21.

In the event that an incorrect card 26 is inserted in the slot 33 and the input current present on terminals 32B, 32H, 321 and 32E is bridged to anyone of contacts 32A, 32C. 32D. 32F, 32G, 32.], 32K, and 32L the alarm circuit would be activated through terminal 38 and wire 75. The activating of the alarm circuit causes the motor 60 to begin to rotate revolving the drum 57. As soon as the drum 57 begins to rotate the contact brush B3 leaves its home insulated position and contacts the track 79 so as to continue the operation of the motor until one complete revolution of the drum 57 is obtained and the brush B3 is again insulated from the track 79. The alarm bell through the wire 76 is simultaneously actuated and continues to ring until one complete revolution of the drum 57 has occurred. The motor 60 will only stop in home position if the incorrect card 26 has been removed from the slot 33. The brush B2 leaves the energized track 79 as soon as the motor 60 begins to rotate the drum 57 so that no current for actuating the electronic lock is present in the circuitry. The brush B4 on engaging with the electric contact track 79 of the drum 57 energizes the coil 50 causing the armature 51 through the link 53 to throw the switch lever 52 into a position closing the contacts 54, 55 and energizing the light 56. The switch arm 52 moves over dead center in this operation and the release of current in the coil 50 as when the drum 57 moves so that the track 79 no longer contacts the brush B4, the contacts 54, 55 stay engaged until the lever 52 is thrown by hand on resetting by the owner.

Obviously both the card 26 and the program board 31 can be wired in any desired manner to increase the possibilities that only the opening of the lock 22 occurs when the correct card is inserted and that the alarm bell 65 and light 56 will be actuated when a wrong card 26 is inserted.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electronic lock and card key system, a lock, a card slot for said lock, an electronic card made of insulating material and including a pair of elongate spaced parallel contact strips connected by a cross bar, said strips and cross bar being embedded in the upper surface of the insulating card, such card having a plurality of contact plugs embedded in the upper surface thereof and said contact plugs having indicia contiguous thereto, contact wires embedded in the card connecting certain of said contact plugs together, the connection of the contact plugs being variable from lock to lock so as to make each lock operable with a different circuitry in the card, said slot having a plurality of bores formed in the upper portion thereof, and a circuit board having a plurality of contact members positioned above the slot with the contact members extending downwardly through the bores, the contact members being spring pressed into a portion of the slot and being secured to the circuit board by securing elements, said circuit board having a plurality of terminals arranged along one edge thereof, wires connecting certain of the terminals to certain of said contact members, a circuit including a magnetic switch, a solenoid embodying an armature, a toggle switch connected to said armature by means of a pivoted link, the contact strips of said card being selectively engageable with the contact members in the circuit board to selectively energize the magnetic switch, a spring contact member for actuating said toggle switch, and wherein the opening of the lock occurs only when the correct card is inserted, and an alarm is actuated when a wrong card is inserted. 

1. In an electronic lock and card key system, a lock, a card slot for said lock, an electronic card made of insulating material and including a pair of elongate spaced parallel contact strips connected by a cross bar, said strips and cross bar being embedded in the upper surface of the insulating card, such card having a plurality of contact plugs embedded in the upper surface thereof and said contact plugs having indicia contiguous thereto, contact wires embedded in the card connecting certain of said contact plugs together, the connection of the contact plugs being variable from lock to lock so as to make each lock operable with a different circuitry in the card, said slot having a plurality of bores formed in the upper portion thereof, and a circuit board having a plurality of contact members positioned above the slot with the contact members extending downwardly through the bores, the contact members being spring pressed into a portion of the slot and being secured to the circuit board by securing elements, said circuit board having a plurality of terminals arranged along one edge thereof, wires connecting certain of the terminals to certain of said contact members, a circuit including a magnetic switch, a solenoid embodying an armature, a toggle switch connected to said armature by means of a pivoted link, the contact strips of said card being selectively engageable with the contact members in the circuit board to selectively energize the magnetic switch, a spring contact member for actuating said toggle switch, and wherein the opening of the lock occurs only when the correct card is inserted, and an alarm is actuated when a wrong card is inserted. 